Did Obama’s Convention Speech do the Trick?

By Anastacia Mott Austin

It’s difficult to get beneath all of the hype of the Democratic Party’s national convention this week. The fireworks, the stirring speeches, and yes, the rock-star quality of the party’s leading man.

The burning question that people have been asking Barack Obama all along is, "What are your actual plans for bringing about this change you keep talking about?"

Did he answer it? It’s hard to get an unbiased answer for that question, but the majority of media and news outlets this week seem to have concluded that the answer is yes.

Long accused of being good at the lofty rhetoric of "hope" and "change," but light on specifics, critics praised the speech’s focus on the issues and what the candidate planned to do about them.

."Let me spell out exactly what change would mean if I am President," he said, to a loud and sustained cheer from the stadium crowd of 84,000.

He then proceeded to detail what his plans would be on a number of specific issues, including taxes, health care, gun laws, abortion, gay marriage, and immigration.

Presidential candidates are notorious for keeping their views on controversial topics (like abortion, for example) close to the vest, frustrating voters. But both candidates in this year’s election have been unusually forthright in stating their opinions – and plans – for just such issues.

Obama also used the speech to respond to accusations that he had not been tough enough on his opponent John McCain. No one can say that anymore, as the punches came flying, left and right, to McCain’s positions, voting record, and attacks on Obama.

"John McCain likes to talk about judgment, but what does it say about your judgment when you think George Bush is right 90% of the time?" zinged Obama, referring to the fact that McCain’s voting history shows he sided with Bush in 90% of Senate votes.

He also added, "It's not because John McCain doesn't care" about the plight of the regular American. "It's because John McCain doesn't get it."

Another cited favorite line of the evening: "John McCain likes to say that he’ll follow Osama bin Laden to the gates of Hell," said Obama. "But he won’t even go to the cave where he lives."

Lines like these are sure to sting. "Even my jaw hurts," wrote one conservative in response to these pointed punches.

The speech seemed to be effective almost immediately, as Obama’s poll numbers got the predicted "convention boost." He rose eight percentage points over McCain in the latest Gallup poll, which reported support at 49% for Obama, 41% for McCain.

However, McCain seemed prepared and ready to counterattack those numbers, with the one-two punch of his surprising choice of Alaska governor Sarah Palin as his running mate, and the upcoming Republican convention next week. McCain will also likely receive a bump to his own poll numbers after his acceptance speech.

It will only be after the dust settles, in another week or two, that voters see the true impact of the candidates’ speeches and choices in running mates.